Economic Abuse

Money is often a tool that abusers use to establish absolute control in their relationships. An abusive partner might take all measures to ensure that you’re entirely financially dependent on them to prevent you from leaving or feeling like you have any power or say in your relationship. Another form of economic abuse might be your partner shifting all of the responsibility of keeping a roof over the family’s head onto you but still trying to make sure that you don’t have access to money.

Economic abuse can take many forms, such as the following:

• Denying you access to funds
• Making you account for every penny spent
• Putting all bills or credit cards in your name without your consent or knowledge
• Making sure that major assets (like your house) are not in your name
• Demanding your paychecks
• Interfering with your work or not letting you work
• Taking your car keys or otherwise preventing you from using the car